Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have called a special meeting today on declining numbers of qualified candidates in the merit list of JEE Advanced and to discuss that the number of qualified candidates is enough to fill 11,279 seats of the institutions.

Since 2013, when IIT-JEE was renamed JEE Advanced, number of candidates who qualified the exam has always been at least twice the number of seats on offer. With 18,138 qualified students this year dropping to a seven-year low, the number is 1.6 times the total seats.

“There is a feeling that we may be on the razor edge. Some institutes have expressed concerns, which is why a meeting of the JAB (Joint Admission Board) has been called tomorrow (Wednesday) morning to discuss this and, if needed, think of a solution. It is in the interest of students that none of seats goes vacant,” said a member of the IIT-JAB on the condition of anonymity.

Despite adding 800 supernumerary seats exclusively for women with the objective to improve gender ratio on campus, the institutes are particularly concerned about the number of female candidates (2,076) on the merit list this year, which is also the lowest in seven years.

“The women, our experience over the last few admission cycles has shown, are usually a little inflexible in filling up choices (of institutes and seats). If cut-offs cannot be lowered, then candidates, especially women, will have to encouraged to fill as many choices as they can to ensure they are accommodated and seats don’t fall vacant,” said another member of IIT-JAB, who did not wish to be identified.

Out of the 18,138 who qualified JEE Advanced, 8,794 are general candidates, 3,140 are from the OBC category, 4,709 are Scheduled Castes (SC) and 1,495 are Scheduled Tribes (ST).

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